plutoberryman - Tumblr blog

[plutoberryman]

hi why does religion make you so angry? religion helps some people and whats the harm in having hope of a spiritual influence.

`Firstly, you say that as if getting angry about something was a negative thing. I get angry about child rape by pedophile priests. I don’t see that as being the wrong reaction. Do you?

Secondly, what you’re choosing to interpret as anger - with the subtle implication of some sort of unreasonableness - is actually adamancy. I’m not going to mince words when it comes to talking about the effect of unsubstantiated superstitions on society and the world around us. While religions many have come to expect deference and reverence, even from non-believers, they were never entitled to it. Religion is a claim. Like Flat Earth, the existence of Bigfoot, or whether it was Bill Paxton or Bill Pullman in “Independence Day” (it was Pullman), I will analyse, critique or even mock it, as I would any claim.

Thirdly, and astonishingly, you seem to be finding fault in my belief that humanity is worthwhile and capable in its own right, rather than only through the lens of an undetectable ghost in the sky. That we’re capable of helping each other without needing an ill-defined, invisible, intangible, undetectable, unmeasurable “spiritual influence” - whatever the hell that even means - to provide hope, help and support. You seem baffled that I’m pro-humanity.

“What’s the harm,” eh? I have a tag for exactly that.

https://religion-is-a-mental-illness.tumblr.com/tagged/what%27s-the-harm

A list of people who have died because of superstitions like religion… a site literally called “What’s the Harm?”:

http://whatstheharm.net

A list of atrocities committed in the name of Islam (you did say “religion”, so):

https://www.thereligionofpeace.com

Victims of religion, including faith healing and exorcisms:

https://plus.google.com/collection/MCl9FB

https://religion-is-a-mental-illness.tumblr.com/tagged/victims-of-religion

Places with a religious exemption to child abuse:

https://religion-is-a-mental-illness.tumblr.com/image/171873187584

Scientific illiteracy in the US:

https://religion-is-a-mental-illness.tumblr.com/image/167240566068

Misinforming children with the factless myth of “creation”:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-states-texas-creationism-science-teacher-state-law-evolution-religion-a7632931.html

http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/01/creationism_in_public_schools_mapped_where_tax_money_supports_alternatives.html

Intercessory prayer is ineffective (duh) and no better than chance. It can actually encourage believers to cease or reduce proper medical treatment, making it worse than chance.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16569567

Child rape by Catholic priests:

In Pennsylvania: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-catholic-churches-in-pennsylvania-hid-decades-of-abuse

In Germany: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/german-report-documents-more-than-3600-abuse-cases-within-the-catholic-church/2018/09/24/a61b2b42-bffe-11e8-9f4f-a1b7af255aa5_story.html?noredirect=on

In Chile: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-church-abuse-chile/chilean-court-orders-catholic-church-to-pay-damages-over-abuse-report-idUSKCN1MV0SP

13 year old child bride dies four days after wedding:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1264729/Child-bride-13-dies-internal-injuries-days-arranged-marriage-Yemen.html

Muslim attacks on homosexuals in Berlin:

https://www.jihadwatch.org/2018/10/berlin-nearly-all-attacks-on-gays-committed-by-migrant-background-men

Brainwashing:

http://www.xenu.net/roland-intro.html

13 countries where you can be killed for being an atheist:

https://www.indy100.com/article/a-map-of-countries-where-you-can-be-killed-for-being-an-atheist–ZyV9wcJobzZ

States where atheists are legally barred from holding office (default assumption of religiosity):

https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/atheists-discrimination_n_4413593

I could make this reply 10 times longer with even more examples, but I think you get the point.

People can believe whatever crazy thing they want - within the confines of their own private brain.

But that’s not how things work, is it? If it was, you wouldn’t see Christians trying to force their religion onto others at the government level. You wouldn’t see the religious harass people for seeking reproductive care - while secretly and hypocritically getting abortions themselves. You wouldn’t see Muslim rape gangs in Europe.

People can believe any stupid myth they want, but they don’t get to shape the world around them, including indoctrinating children too young, vulnerable and impressionable to assess the claims being presented to them by people they trust, based on myths and superstitions they can’t substantiate.

Religion uniquely justifies all sorts of bigotry, hate and violence in the name of satisfying invisible, intangible gods. The delusional, schizophrenic Abraham proved exactly that himself, right there in the bible:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binding_of_Isaac

Religion does help some people. It helps the in-crowd, to the exclusion and frequently detriment of the out-crowd. Go see the homeless sit through a sermon to get their soup or sandwich. Bring up atheists at your next religious function and watch what happens, I dare you.

It helps people escape from their problems by applying myths and superstitions over the top. Things not going your way? Oh, a magical elf in the sky is testing your karma, therefore the right thing to do is telepathically send a spell to the elf so he’ll know you’re special and maybe he’ll grant you extra karma points. Also known as prayer.

No. Things aren’t going your way because the world is complicated, and there is randomness and entropy. The best thing to do is understand the actual nature of the world, to pursue information and knowledge which will help you make good choices in the things you can control, take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, and understand the nature of the things you can’t control.

Wrapping yourself up in fairytales, both pretty and vile, is a crutch, an escape. It doesn’t actually address them. And it completely devalues humanity and the human condition, the experiences throughout the one and only life we know actually exists, placing make-believe sky elves as superior to us, and clamouring to earn a place with them, instead of doing good in this world for its own good. Basically, you’ve given up on humanity and are looking for magic to fix you.

And it’s all done in the name of entities whose basic existence has never been, and cannot, be demonstrated.

If the only way for someone to have hope is to delude themselves, then they have bigger issues than me pointing out the flaws in religious reasoning.

The human species is better than these angry, immoral “god” characters. We’re more moral, more compassionate, more reasonable, more empathetic. And we’re real. We never did need myths and ghosts. We are the solution to our problems, not imaginary sky monsters.

Name one demonstrably good thing that can only - or even simply best - be achieved via religion that cannot be achieved secularly.

Just one.

[plutoberryman]

[plutoberryman]

"Making jokes". Did you miss the "slitting their throats" part or????

“There’s no such thing as reverse racism”

[plutoberryman]

Haha!

When the ceiling lights need to know how much you care about them.

[plutoberryman]

This is the best retort to bullshit I have ever seen. Like if there were Oscars given for calling out someone's bullshit this would win!!

Common Creationist Misconceptions No. 25-32.

[plutoberryman]

This shook me!!

Highway 26

Only for my sister would I drive to Seaside in the dark watches of a November night. Her binge lasted twice as long as normal, given her boyfriend’s recent disappearance, and the hotel manager was one call away from dialing the police on a passed out guest in the lobby.

The speed slows from sixty to thirty as the highway runs through the small town of Jewel. Which is really only a market and a gas station lit up by a few white hot lights that rather than helping, offset the forest surrounding into further pitch.

Keep reading

[plutoberryman]

someone: haha british people chewna instead of tuna

british person: oh yeah well americans shoot up schools did i mention that americans shoot up schools? cause that’s an appropriate thing to joke about and not a huge problem! lol #joaks #clapback

[plutoberryman]

This is such a stupid confession. Nina almost made the podium with that two pass floor routine too.

“LMAOOO at poor nina derwael thinking she has a chance at that aa podium then doing a two pass floor when she’s up against a olympic floor champion, world floor champion, and two floor finalists.”

[plutoberryman]

This reminds me of "The Mork" from The Never ending Story

[plutoberryman]

This is a real live Mogwai!!

Morning’

[plutoberryman]

Tough Guise: Violence, Media & The Crisis in Masculinity

with Ed. M, Ph.D Jackson Katz

[plutoberryman]

This is horrible

Kamilah Brock spent 8 days in a NY mental health facility because she owned a BMW 

Kamilah Brock, a former New York banker, has filled a suit against the city after she was detained for eight days in a mental health facility against her will. Brock says she was committed after trying to pick up her BMW, which skeptical police did not believe she owned. To add insult to injury, Brock was then charged a hefty sum by the hospital.

[plutoberryman]

Wow!

[plutoberryman]

[plutoberryman]

Black on White crimes part 1

[plutoberryman]

Forrest Gump taught us that it doesn’t matter how intelligent you are, you can achieve anything as long as you’re a cis, hetero, white man.

[plutoberryman]

Me, me, me!!

Just to gauge interest and totally not because I’m planning to start up another project or anything, don’t be ridiculous, buuuut…who would be interested in a Victorian gothic horror podcast set in the English countryside?